savory

Savory describes the kind of rich flavor that’s most often associated with foods like meats and roasted vegetables.

There are often considered to be five basic taste sensations: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and savory, or umami.

Separately, savory is the name of several kinds of aromatic herbs of the mint family used in cooking, such as ones known as summer savory and winter savory.

In the U.K., the word savory is also used to refer to a fragrant and sometimes spicy course or dish. (Such a dish may or may not be described as savory in the popular sense.)

Example: That roasted mushroom dish was so savory—it had such a dark, rich flavor.

Savory is the adjective form of the word savor, which ultimately derives from the Latin verb sapere, “to taste.” The first records of the use of the word savory as an adjective come from around the 1200s. Originally, it was simply used to describe a pleasing scent or taste. It wasn’t until around the 1500s that it started to be used in its modern sense to specifically describe the kind of rich flavor that chefs and foodies might otherwise call umami.

The flavor we call savory is hard to describe. But you know it when you taste it. It’s definitely not sweet or sour. It may be a bit salty—and salt brings out savory flavors. Steak is savory. Mushrooms are savory. Roasted eggplant is savory. Things described as savory are often rich and dark and have an umami flavor that a food scientist will tell you is usually the result of amino acids dancing with taste receptors in your mouth. By the way, the word umami is Japanese for “savory quality” or “delicious taste.” (And sorry for making you hungry.)

What are some other forms of savory?

• savoury (British English spelling)
• savoriness (noun)
• savorily (adverb)

What are some synonyms for savory?

• umami

What are some words that share a root or word element with savory? 

• savor

What are some words that often get used in discussing savory?

• flavor
• taste
• rich
• dark
• roasted
• meat
• mushroom
• cooking
• herb

Savory is used in the context of cooking and eating, and it’s typically used positively to refer to things that taste really good.

#Food #Wine: Inspired by Stone Soup, but More Delicious Alison Roman takes mushrooms, garlic and shallots and transforms them into a spicy, savory, umami-packed noodle soup. https://t.co/7ZvNDtNY6J pic.twitter.com/p3QfZ181pA

— #Wine Guru🍷 (@RealWineGuru) March 29, 2019

The internet says umami is savory. Savory is pot roast. Therefore umami is pot roast. And mushrooms are gross.

— Roger (@RoJoHen) May 12, 2020

Happy St. Paddy’s Day! Made a huge pot of Guinness corned beef and cabbage soup Sunday. It is savory beyond belief. @GuinnessUS @GuinnessIreland pic.twitter.com/CbSid5XHZS

— ChelseasMessyKitchen (@chelsmesskitch) March 17, 2020

Is savory used correctly in the following sentence?

That candy was so sugary and savory that it made my mouth pucker up!